The path ahead for Mike Soroka will not be an easy one. A torn Achilles tendon, like he suffered Monday night, is about as bad as gets for an athlete in 2020.
He'd have been better off blowing out his UCL, frankly. We know the path to recovery there, and it's mostly reliable. Here, though, it's hard to know what to expect.
The injury is generally suffered by older players, but they do not tend to bounce back from it well. A 33-year-old Adam Wainwright was never the same after suffering his early in 2015. We see Dellin Betances struggling to work his way back now. The injury has been known to destroy careers in the NBA especially, robbing players of some of their athleticism.
Soroka is only 23, which can only aid his recovery, and there have been examples of players who have made more successful returns across all spots. Still, there are Dynasty ramifications here for a pitcher who once seemed like a safe long-term investment. There's nothing safe about him anymore.
Meanwhile, re-draft owners will have to replace him somehow. Weekend pickups Tyler Chatwood and Cristian Javier have probably been scooped up now, but Yusei Kikuchi, who struck out nine on 20 swinging strikes over the weekend, remains widely available. You can read more about his jump in velocity here.
Soroka's injury wasn't the only big news item from Monday. We also learned top prospect Jo Adell is on his way to the big leagues. He's mentioned below, but if you'd like a more detailed assessment, you'll find it here.
It feels a little rushed after he struggled at Triple-A last year, but when a prospect of his stature (top five basically everywhere) gets the call, you don't let him go unclaimed. There's five-category potential here.
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The replacement for the injured Wade Davis is already up to two saves, though he recorded his second with a shaky two-run outing Monday. He also served as closer down the stretch for the Rockies last year and has an undisputed claim to the role with Scott Oberg likely sidelined for the season.
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Rowan Wick's four-out save Monday followed his two-out save Saturday, and judging by his numbers in limited action last year, it seems he'd make a satisfactory enough closer. Presumably, he hasn't overtaken Craig Kimbrel for the role yet, but the Cubs have kept their high-dollar reliever on ice since Friday. It's an obvious pickup to make at this point in leagues where saves are scarce.
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The prospect shined during the preseason and is now expected to get the call this week with the Marlins struggling to fill out their roster following a COVID-19 outbreak. The speed alone makes him a worthwhile investment in Rotisserie leagues, but there's power, too, if he makes enough contact to get to it.
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The upside here is questionable, particularly since he pitches for the Tigers, but Turnbull has handled the Reds twice already, limiting them to three hits with at least a strikeout per inning each time. His slider has been effective in the early going, and he showed flashes of potential last year, too.
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Though his impressive work Sunday came in relief of Josh James, Valdez has a rotation spot of his own and an intriguing arsenal to go along with a strong supporting cast. As with James, he sometimes struggles to throw strikes, but he has a ground-ball profile and enough swing-and-miss potential (15 swinging strikes in Sunday's outing) to earn a flier in deeper leagues.
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